Starting seeds in egg shells - you can plant the seedling in the shell. Genius. http://www.pallensmith.com/index.php?id=1052
]]>Freedom LivingSuzanimalhttp://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?470094-Free-or-Cheap-Garden-IdeasCold Storage Room In Basement for food preservation - My pictureshttp://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?469863-Cold-Storage-Room-In-Basement-for-food-preservation-My-pictures&goto=newpost
Sat, 28 Feb 2015 21:04:50 GMTHello,
Do you have a basement?
See what I built in my home basment... a Awasome Walk In Col room to preserve my garden vegs and to store my...Hello,

Do you have a basement?

See what I built in my home basment... a Awasome Walk In Col room to preserve my garden vegs and to store my canning.

]]>Freedom Livinggardenerkinghttp://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?469837-Garden-Greenhouse-My-Backyard-greenhouse-building-picturesLasqueti is a secret Canadian island where the vast majority of residents are completely off-ghttp://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?469831-Lasqueti-is-a-secret-Canadian-island-where-the-vast-majority-of-residents-are-completely-off-g&goto=newpost
Sat, 28 Feb 2015 14:31:02 GMT83 year old Al's got it goin' on with his homemade plum wine. He builds a fire under his outdoor tub, has a glass of wine and does his laundry whilst bathing - genius.:)

Lasqueti is a secret Canadian island where the vast majority of residents are completely off-grid

Quote:

Lasqueti is a small island between Vancouver and Vancouver Island, home to a little known community of off-gridders who take pride in their isolation from both mainstream culture and mainland Canada. In this short documentary film, a journalist from 16×9 News goes to meet some of Lasqueti’s characters and find out more about life on this beautiful land that time forgot.

With very little industry or economy, most of the residents live simply, taking what they need from the land and having next to no carbon footprint (and little need for money). The 2011 census recorded 426 people living in Lasqueti, who meet up to socialize in the island’s (one) bar and cafe.

Lasqueti also has a free store, where people can leave or collect items without any monetary exchange. Just one hour by boat from Vancouver island, Lasqueti doesn’t have a tourist industry, booming economy or any industry to speak of, but those who live there say that they enjoy the sense of timelessness, community, and freedom that their home provides.

SALEM, Ohio — When the Joseph T. Simpson Library in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, decided to launch a seed library on Earth Day 2014, the group’s promotion efforts ran headlong into the state’s seed law.

“Our surprise was that no one else knew about it,” Sue Erdman, Simpson Library director, said of the regulation.
“We are the ones who found out about it, so we are talking to other groups so that they are aware of it and don’t get into any problems. We all want to comply with the law.”
Scott McFetridge from the Associated Press reports that seed exchanges have sprouted up in about 300 locations around the country, most often in libraries, where gardeners can exchange self-pollinating seeds rather than buy pre-packaged hybrid seeds.

Agriculture officials say they weren’t looking for a fight, but felt obligated to step in, as they became aware of the increasingly popular seed libraries to enforce laws, which are largely uniform across the country.
Intended to protect farmers, the laws ensure seeds are viable, will grow the intended plant, and aren’t mixed with unwanted seeds for weeds or plants.Simpson case

In June, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture officials contacted the Simpson Library and informed seed library organizers that their efforts were in violation of the state’s 2004 Seed Act, which regulates the sale and distribution of seeds.

“What they were doing falls under distribution, so a protocol was developed,” said John Zook, seed program supervisor for Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. “Being a collection point and broadcasting to the public at large that they were a continuous source of seed fell under two sections (of the state seed act) addressing licensing and labeling.”The Pennsylvania Seed Act states it is unlawful to sell or offer for sale seeds that have not been tested to determine the percentage of germination; contain prohibited noxious weeds; are not properly labeled; or have been advertised in a misleading manner.

In short, although the Simpson Library seed swap was free, the library would need to obtain a seller’s license and have proper testing of the seeds — both of which, Erdman said, were “beyond our ability.”Agreement reached

The protocol agreed upon by both parties, Zook said, allows the Simpson Library to operate its seed-swap program “outside the purview of the Seed Act,” while ultimately still being subject to it.
“Before, the library was collecting all the seed, organizing it and putting into a catalogue,” Zook said. “The library is now collecting currently labeled seed packages.”
At the same time, the state allowed for individual seed swaps to take place at the library.
“We identified the library’s goal and allowed them to meet it without falling under our jurisdiction,” Zook said. “The regulators tried to figure out a way to not regulate.”

Spirit of law

Following the Simpson Library agreement however, AP’s McFetridge reported that some were still puzzled about why the state had demanded changes.
Zook told Farm and Dairy the overall goal of seed laws is twofold: consumer protection and truth in labeling.
“Black nightshade, which is poisonous, is indistinguishable from a small hot pepper seed,” he said. “So what if you have some yahoo who wants to mess around?”
Zook said the department felt the likelihood of such an incident was lessened in one-on-one swaps. Meanwhile, the agreement ensures that the seed library will not be held liable if there are large scale violations.
Noting that Simpson Library officials did contact the Cumberland County Extension office for regulatory advice prior to starting the seed library, Zook encouraged other seed libraries contact state departments of agriculture directly.
“We have identified about eight or 10 other libraries in the state, but we aren’t out looking for (violations),” he said. “It is only if we run across it or have a complaint.”Ohio reaction

In Ohio, there have been even fewer instances of seed exchanges running afoul of state seed laws.
“Every once in a while, with regulatory law, these things come up,” said Matt Beal, chief of the ODA’s division of plant health. “But to tell the truth, we came to know of it through what happened in Pennsylvania.”

Since then, Beal said, his department has been researching how other states are addressing the issue. To date, he added, the ODA has received only “a handful” of calls seeking information on the issue, mainly from seed libraries themselves.Understanding seed laws

Like most state seed laws, Ohio’s refers to sales of seeds. That term, however, has been defined to include exchanges, where no money changes hands.

“The seed law is there for the major seed labelers,” Beal said. “You have to get a permit to label, and all crops are treated differently. But (labeling) is important because seed is a high-dollar input cost for farmers.”
Determining where seed libraries fit into the overall picture, Beal said, will drive how the state regulates them.
“It could be just a guy trading an heirloom seed with another guy, but until we know everything that goes on, we don’t know what level of regulatory oversight is needed,” he said.Violations found

When improper labeling violations are found, Beal said, the most common action taken by the ODA is to pull the product from distribution until it can be tested and properly labeled.
The costs incurred by this, he said, is usually enough of a deterrent.
“For it to be malicious, intentional fraud, it would have to be pretty big, and word is going to spread through the industry pretty fast,” Beal said. “So it is usually a case of ‘if you fix it, you can sell it’.”

Two Australian inventors are changing the way honey is harvested and the world can’t get enough of it.

Father and son Stuart and Cedar Anderson spent a decade creating a revolutionary system that allows beekeepers to harvest honey on tap, without disturbing the hive.

After a decade of research and development, the Andersons launched their idea on the crowdfunding platform Indiegogo today. Within two hours, they’d sold $830,000 (£420,000) worth of beehives. Their initial target was $70,000 (£35,500). Within three hours they’d sold more than $1 million (£507,000) of products.

The first 500 top-of-the-line beehives, costing $600 (£390), sold out within an hour. They’ve now released a further 1000 hives, along with a range of cheaper options.

The Andersons has some idea how how intense interest was when they posted a video of their invention on YouTube and it attracted nearly 1 million viewers within two days. This morning they had interest from 80,000 people before the launch, and were forced to switch from Kickstarter to Indiegogo as the crowdfunding platform at the last minute realising that they needed to cater for the US market, find an American manufacturer and charge in USD (which Kickstarter doesn't allow) to overcome exchange rate fluctuations.

The initial run of Flow honeycomb cells will be made in Brisbane.

The pair came up with the idea on the New South Wales north coast, near Byron Bay, wanting to find an easier way to extract honey than the time-consuming and elaborate current system of dismantling the hive.
It was a combination of bee stings through his protective suit and his distress at squashing bees as he put the hive back together that had Cedar thinking there had to be a better way.

“So my Dad and I set to work on a decade-long task of inventing the beekeepers dream,” he said.

His solution was to design plastic honeycomb frames that split in two with the turn of a handle, allowing the honey to drain down and out without opening the hive or disturbing the bees. It then locks back in place for the bees to reset with wax and refill. A perspex window into the hive allows you to see when the honeycomb is full and ready to be harvested.

“This really is a revolution. You can see into the hive, see when the honey is ready and take it away in such a gentle way,” Cedar said.

The Andersons have called the system Flow. Aside from being kinder on the colony, it saves hours of work and the strain required, as well as the mess, from traditional honey harvesting. It also promises to revolutionise the growing trend towards amateur beekeeping at home, who won’t need to suit up in protective equipment with smokers, extractors and the mess when they want to grab the honey.

]]>Freedom LivingSuzanimalhttp://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?469570-A-revolutionary-beehive-with-a-built-in-honey-tap-has-taken-the-beekeeping-world-by-storm32 Survival Skills Your Child Should Know and Be Able to Do ASAP!http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?469566-32-Survival-Skills-Your-Child-Should-Know-and-Be-Able-to-Do-ASAP!&goto=newpost
Tue, 24 Feb 2015 19:45:53 GMTA couple of more from the comments...
preserving food
swimming
---Quote---
Knowledge is something that takes time to develop, so we need to...A couple of more from the comments...
preserving food
swimming

Quote:

Knowledge is something that takes time to develop, so we need to start teaching the next generation now. In case God forbid, our children are left to fend for themselves or we are injured or even just to make your family more apt to survive, every child must learn these survival skills so they can pull their own weight and contribute as much as they can.

It’s not just physical survival we need to teach them but mental, emotional, and spiritual survival as well. If your family learns now to be a well oiled machine, you will be more likely to survive any type of collapse.

Grow vegetables from seeds
Have local edible and medicinal plant foraging skills
Knowledge of dietary needs and how to meet them using wild plants and game
Make a fire and know fire safety
Cook on an open fire
Open a can of food with and without can opener (rub can lid ridge on cement and then pry open with knife)
Be able to tell if food is too spoiled to eat
How to safely use a knife
How to shoot a sling shot
How to hunt small game with snares, traps and sling shot
How to fish and hunt-bow & gun when old enough
How to clean fish and wild game
Find water and identify if it’s safe to drink
Filter and boil water to drink
Basic first aid
Basic hygiene practices
Find or build a shelter in the wilderness
How to stay warm, cool and dry in the elements
How, Why and When to stay hidden
Self defense
How to make a basic weapon and how to use it
Be able to run and walk a good distance and be in generally good shape
How to climb a tree- to get away from predators, get directional barrings, and hunt.
How to read a map and use a compass
How to read the sky for directions, time and approaching bad weather
Know where family and friends live if they need to find them
How to sew so they can mend clothing or any fabric and even make things such as bags or scrap quilts
How to bargain and trade (Kids naturally do this with their toys so teach them at garage sales.)
How to be responsible for themselves and to be aware of their surroundings at all times
Have a natural curiosity and good problem solving skills
Be hard working and a self starter and a family helper not a complainer!
Have a strong faith in God (morals, memorize Bible verses, prayers, songs, and have a hope for heaven)

http://thesurvivalmom.com/32-surviva...le-to-do-asap/
]]>Freedom LivingSuzanimalhttp://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?469566-32-Survival-Skills-Your-Child-Should-Know-and-Be-Able-to-Do-ASAP!The Producers of Naked and Afraid are seeking Families who want to live OFF THE GRID in ALASKAhttp://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?469436-The-Producers-of-Naked-and-Afraid-are-seeking-Families-who-want-to-live-OFF-THE-GRID-in-ALASKA&goto=newpost
Sun, 22 Feb 2015 22:32:06 GMTSounds fun but Alaska??? If I do something like that it seems like it would be so much easier in a warmer, less hostile climate.
---Quote---
...Sounds fun but Alaska??? If I do something like that it seems like it would be so much easier in a warmer, less hostile climate.

Quote:

The Producers of Naked and Afraid are seeking Families who want to live OFF THE GRID in ALASKA!

NOW CASTING: The Producers of Naked and Afraid are seeking Families who want to live OFF THE GRID in ALASKA!

A Major Network with the Producers of Naked and Afraid are looking for families with 2+ kids (ideally ages 2-18) who want a more authentic lifestyle where there's actual value in your work and family time is more than just 15 minutes in the car on the way to school.

Should you be chosen for the show, you and your family will move to Alaska for 3 months (as of now, August-November) and live with a family who's been off the grid for 9 years. During that time their family will teach your family how to: hunt, trap, clean, fish, forage, build a house, purify water, build & maintain a garden, etc. And should you do all this successfully - you will be given 10 acres of land!

We definitely want people who are looking for a LIFE CHANGE and not just a fun 3 month vacation. The end goal is that the family will want to permanently live on the 10 acres.

I own a small strip of land on a lake in Minnesota. The time has come for me to belly up to the bar and buy a camper to take my family to my hidden lake paradise and other destinations around the country.... all on wheels.

Anyone own a camper or do any type of RVing? The thought of owning one such as the above literally make my wife and I grin from ear to ear. I will eventually be installing water/electric on the land I own in Minnesota (basically an RV hookup, 50 amp, 30 amp, and 15 amp + water... without sewage/septic) and grading an area on the land and pouring some mixed gravel on the spot where we will park for our summer vacay's.

Anyone who is familiar with campers/rvs and the like, please send me your advice on what to look out for, what to ask for, how to buy, etc....
]]>Freedom Livingjllundquhttp://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?469335-Vintage-Travel-Trailers-CampersHOT Water Without Electricity or Firehttp://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?469126-HOT-Water-Without-Electricity-or-Fire&goto=newpost
Wed, 18 Feb 2015 04:53:24 GMTNow I'm trying to think of a way I can do this for my pool water...

Living with weak Wi-Fi is no way to live, and if you're not in a place where you can just add a bridge or repeater, a quick trip to the kitchen may be in order. You'll need a baby bottle, a mesh strainer, and a USB Wi-Fi dongle. Here's how the whole thing works.

Stathack explains the whole project over at his blog (linked below), but essentially he managed to turn the mesh strainer and the baby bottle into a directional parabolic antenna so he could mooch Wi-Fi from the coffee shop down the street. Of course, if you're planning to do the same thing, you may want to consider mooching off of your router that your computer is too weak to connect to, or another network you're actually authorized to use (just for safety's sake).

In addition to the kitchen gear, he also picked up a USB Wi-FI dongle, a USB cable, glue, electrical tape, and wire cutters. He explained that all the parts set him back about $50, and that was because he didn't own any of them in advance. Building the whole thing was easy enough too—he attached the baby bottle to the strainer (after doing a little math to find out the best position), attached the USB cable to the dongle and mounted it in the baby bottle, taped the whole thing to a mop and put it on his porch, and then plugged the USB cable into his computer. Sure enough, he was able to pick up Wi-Fi signals up to a kilometer (over a half-mile) away.

For more detail on the project and how the whole thing was made, hit the link below.

]]>Freedom LivingSuzanimalhttp://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?469109-Build-a-Directional-Wi-Fi-Antenna-from-Kitchen-Gear-and-a-Baby-BottleInteresting Times and Self Reliance in the New Normal Economyhttp://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?468980-Interesting-Times-and-Self-Reliance-in-the-New-Normal-Economy&goto=newpost
Sun, 15 Feb 2015 14:38:23 GMT*Interesting Times and Self Reliance in the New Normal Economy*
...Interesting Times and Self Reliance in the New Normal Economy

workshop.jpg
Real wealth and self reliance can be found in a workshop like this by investing in lots of tools and the skills to use them

It's been an interesting week, and if you've been around here for a while you know that when I say interesting like this, I'm using the meaning inferred by the old Chinese curse of, "May you live in interesting times." While my computer was sleeping I was rather involved and, while so occupied, it made me think again of how important it is to be technically self reliant, like so many of us around here are or try to be.
Using just the last of a series of "interesting" events as an example, last night I hopped in my truck, an F150, turned the key and it cranked but would not start. A quick shot of ether confirmed it was a fuel problem and a brief search online pointed to a high probability of a fuel pump control unit failure which it turned out to be. This morning, while I was under the truck amidst the wet dirt (this is snow country) fighting corroded bolts, replacing the obviously damaged unit, (how it's been working up to this point is a question for another day), it felt good to be able to fix it.

As the economy continues to limp along in what's fast become the "new normal," those of you who don't have a well equipped tool box and the knowledge and skills to make use of it are at a huge disadvantage. While you may still choose to have someone else do the work because you feel your time is better spent elsewhere, in the example above, not only did I save the expense of a tow to the shop, a markup on the part and labor charges, just think of the time saved. A run to get the part plus an hour or so of wrench time and it's done.

If you're one of those who may be a little short of cash right now, you don't need to invest in gold and silver or some other item all of the smart people advise you to buy, invest in tools instead. Invest in yourself, that's always a winner and you don't have to worry about someone mismanaging your account. Learn how things work and how to fix them when they don't. It's a form of wealth that can't be stolen or lost, you always carry it with you, the more you use it the more valuable it becomes and you don't pay a tax on the gains. Technical know how is almost priceless, plus you'll develop a fine appreciation for some of the most arcane tools that will have others scratching their heads wondering what on earth you could possibly do with it.

If you don't know more at the end of the day than you did when it started, what were you doing? If you were applying skills you already have, you sharpened them. If your skills are lacking you can learn. Turn off the TV, stay away from Facebook and skill up!

]]>Freedom Livingtod evanshttp://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?468980-Interesting-Times-and-Self-Reliance-in-the-New-Normal-EconomyThe Gambler on how to be freehttp://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?468939-The-Gambler-on-how-to-be-free&goto=newpost
Sat, 14 Feb 2015 16:38:38 GMTGreat advice.
The Position of Fuck You
http://www.theburningplatform.com/2015/02/14/the-position-of-fuck-you/
...Great advice.

After receiving a $2 million signing bonus with the Toronto Blue Jays, Daniel Norris decided to hit the road with his new dream car—a 1978 Volkswagen Westfalia camper van—which incidentally, is also his new dream home.

21-year-old Norris signed with the Blue Jays right out of high school in 2011. Upon signing to a new team, professional athletes are typically awarded huge sums of money to incentivize their hard work and integration into the team. At this point, most athletes are inclined to indulge their fantasies coming to life, opting for a mega-home with sports cars, marble floors, and hired help. Evidently, Norris isn’t easily aroused by the materialism of ‘high status’ life, and despite being one of the only 21-year-olds on the planet able to afford a Rolls-Royce, Norris is completely content living out of his van, traveling around the coast in search of good surf, epic hiking spots and rock walls. His van, called Shaggy, is equipped with a bed and kitchenette, which Norris uses to make simplistic meals over a stovetop.

Originally from Johnson City, Tennessee, Norris grew up around the outdoors, cultivating a passion for nature that he partially built in his father’s mountain bike shop. Norris’s childhood consisted of mountain biking, camping, hiking and generally embracing the wilderness.

Norris and Shaggy make the trip to the Blue Jays training complex in Dunedin, Florida, each spring for three-a-day practices. However Norris insists that some of the best cross-training opportunities arise in his travels. “Surfing is great for your shoulders and core, hiking is a good lower body workout, and rock climbing … well, if you’ve ever rock climbed, good luck getting out of bed the next day!” Norris tells GrindTV.

The van-dwelling life may be a little unorthodox for many of his fellow Blue Jays, but Norris doesn’t mind the speculation. In fact, many of his teammates have joined him for camping excursions, all of them expressing a serious interest in coming back soon to spend more time in the wilderness.

With life on the road, camping, surfing, and hiking, it’s hard to believe that Norris can still find the time to be a professional athlete, but he is adamant that baseball is his true passion. Recognizing how easily one can be swept away in the fame and financial excess of professional baseball, Norris believes that the van life keeps him grounded, insisting that societies normalizing luxury is dangerous. Rather, his oceanfront view and van-cooked meals represent a more organic definition of ‘fancy’.

Of course, when people become alarmed at the lifestyle that he has chosen, Norris is more than happy to answer any questions concerning the van life. He is extremely open about his decision to stay simplistic in his life in nature and has even been known to be open for photo-shoots alongside Shaggy.

After three years, Norris shows no signs of slowing down this slightly nomadic life in the van.